The humorous satire publication The Onion slyly challenges excess and human rights violations in the mental health system in many creative fictional ways, that seem all too-true. Here are some examples. [Updated 22 Dec. 2010]

Humorist Garisson Keillor has had to tangle with the American Psychiatric Association before. You can encourage this humorist, inventor of Lake Wobegone, to speak out again, this time about Raymond Sandford of Minnesota.

Garrison Keillor's "Praire Home Companion" has for years made fun of harsh counseling by the imaginary Evelyn Lundberg Counseling Agency (ELCA), such as in this live 21 March 2009 broadcast which you can view on Youtube. (By a delicious coincidence, this was toward the end of the widely-publicized campaign by MindFreedom to save Ray Sandford of Minnesota from forced electroshock, which was being supervised by Lutheran Social Services, connected to the huge Lutheran Church ELCA. You can read about the campaign to reach Garrison Keillor about Ray via the link in "Related Content" at bottom.)

Here's a link to an MP3 and brief script from Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion about a hilariously-verbally-abusive counseling agency: Evelyn Lundberg Counselling Agency (ELCA). He's been satirizing 'ELCA' for years. By a wonderful coincidence, this broadcast a few months after a successful campaign was launched by MindFreedom International to inform Garrison Keillor about the forced electroshock of Ray Sandford in Garrison's home state of Minnesota. The forced shocks were supervised by Lutheran Social Services, which is connected with the biggest USA Lutheran Church network -- ELCA. For more info on that campaign to reach Garrison, see 'Related Content' at bottom.

This hilarious advertisement says that HAVIDOL is for the treatment of Dysphoric Social Attention Consumption Deficit Anxiety Disorder (DSACDAD), and it is the only known medication available for this newly recognized disorder: "If you believe that despite the opportunities, achievements and acquisitions you already have, something is still missing, then HAVIDOL may be right for you. HAVIDOL's unique nature enables it to make physiological adjustments that bring about positive change without you having to recognize exactly what your problem is."

Funny three-minute web video about USA love for all kinds of prescription drugs. Posted on JibJab, from their description: " 03/09/05: This video isn't about the drugs you WANT, it's about the drugs you NEED. Got that, Cheech? This hilarious animated video sticks it to the Pharmaceutical industry's tendency to push prescription drugs on people that don't need them to begin with. Hugs, not drugs, people."

PBS carried this Wired story about how more and more artists are using their creativity to mock advertising and deflate the bullying power of the super-powerful and profitable pharmaceutical industry, including those who manufacture psychiatric drugs.

The 28 January 2010 issue of The New Yorker's column "Shouts and Murmurs" included this exploration of the questions, "How do you know when you are healthy enough to say goodbye to your therapist? And how should a therapist handle it?" *Thank you Susan R. of Philly for providing this link.)

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Cindi Fisher, mother of psychiatric survivor

Cindi Fisher has fought for years for her son, who has experienced forced psychiatric drugging and other human rights violations in the State of Washington. She has even held protest fasts on her son's behalf (see photo of Day One). Cindi says: "In the past, advocating for my 33-year-old psychiatric survivor son over the years has been very frustrating and has sometimes felt hopeless! Now, as a member of MindFreedom, I feel I have the voice of thousands to join me. My effectiveness and awareness as an advocate has indeed multiplied a thousand times. Thank you David and MindFreedom for your many years of work to build such a powerful and empowering organization!"